My Legacy
by A Subtle Wind
Summary: Draco Malfoy, 21, has just fully come in to his veela inheritance and is reluctantly feeling the call of his mate, Ginny Weasley. But with Voldemort, double agents, and conspiracy all around, how can he keep her safe? Or, for that matter, tell her his sec
1. Draco's Legacy

Chapter One

Draco's Legacy

Draco Malfoy sat near the door and watched her as she sat across the room from him. He disliked her so much, but couldn't help being attracted to her. Her scent was making his mouth water. He loved the way she moved, the way she interacted with other people. Always frank and honest, nothing hidden, unlike himself.

She was twenty, he barely twenty-one. He had known since he turned sixteen that she was his mate, and had despised her for the longest time because of that. Oh, what a temper tantrum he had thrown when he made the discovery. But he had not felt the desire, the need, for her until his twenty-first birthday a few days ago. He didn't know how much longer he could go. Every part of her was calling to him.

Yes, Draco Malfoy was part veela. He inherited it from his mother. And Lucius, sadly, really was her mate. The poor girl, having to love that retch of a man.

Draco watched as the object of his desire crossed one black clad leg over the other, making the collared, white dress shirt tightly tucked into the pants pull close against her firm middle.

He hated to admit it, but one of the things he found most attractive about her appearance was the fact that she didn't have curves as such, like most women seemed to want. Nor was she emaciated. No, she had muscles. And it would make sense, considering her line of work.

As soon as she had graduated from Hogwarts at age seventeen, she had immediately signed up for auror training. By the time she was eighteen, she had been ranked as the number one trainee and had been officially initiated into the working force. By the time she was nineteen, she had begun making a name for herself as a highly effective field agent. She was one of the people who did all the dangerous assignments and new how to throw a punch, not to mention curse. And now, at twenty, she was one of the most sought-after aurors, not to mention one of the most sought-after single women, at least by "Witch Weekly" standards.

'But not for long,' Malfoy thought to himself. He would have her, it was his legacy left by his mother.

He scowled as she laughed at something the dark-haired guy next to her said.

The sound of her laughter almost brought chills to his spine. God, why did she have to affect him like this.

"Ahem."

The crowed room became quiet as the twenty-five or so assembled at Number 12, Grimmauld Place turned to look at the old man standing up at the front near the door. Albus Dumbledore looked around at them all, proud at the swelling numbers of the Order of the Phoenix. Yet he was dismayed at the thought of putting so many lives at danger, most of whom he had taught.

In fact, most of the new recruitments were Hogwarts graduates that other Order members knew already and had talked to. Some recruits, like Neville Longbottom or Luna Lovegood, were expected. Others, like Blaise Zabini or Draco Malfoy, weren't. In fact, there were still uneasy murmurs at the latter two being allowed in.

"I'm sure you are all aware," Dumbledore began, "Of the sudden activity of the Death Eaters. We still are unsure as to what they are doing now; our sources have not been able to confirm anything yet."

Draco glanced at Blaise.

"But I worry that they are trying to get at Hogwarts, and I will not have that," the old man continued, a note of resolve in his voice. "Besides the fact that I don't want any students hurt, we are still unaware of the loyalties of some of the older students. Head Auror Kingsley has expressed his wishes to heighten security around the school for overall protection. Since he was not able to make it tonight, he has asked me to tell all of you who are aurors that as soon as you finish your current assignments, you will be getting your new ones: to guard Hogwarts' School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"You will each be assigned a certain area to patrol and keep watch over. Two will be put in an area just in case. This also means that you aurors will be moving in to the school. I suggest you pack tonight. The Hogwarts Express leaves tomorrow morning.

"As for the rest of you, if anyone has any suggestions or wants to volunteer, I would be pleased to hear from you. Thank you." The beloved Headmaster finished and moved farther into the room.

Draco Malfoy watched as once again the room broke out in chatter. He would not have to worry about being sent to Hogwarts, considering he already worked there.

Eventually, Snape had been found out as the spy working for the Order. So he was now under permanent protection in Hogwarts and finally allowed the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, which left the Potions class unmanned. He was also no longer head of Slytherin house.

Draco Malfoy had stepped up to the plate, at that point, for both positions. Of course, his father had encouraged him to do this for the sake of the Dark Lord, like they thought Snape had been doing. Draco was truly surprised that they would fall for the same trick again. Stupid Death Eaters.

'You would think,' he thought to himself, 'that Potter would have gotten to Voldemort by now. But no. We're still waiting for the frickin' knight in shining armor to swoop in and save the day.'

He watched as the people began flitting out of the room, going back to their regular lives. He knew she was still here, even if he wasn't looking at her. Her presence was like an awareness at the edge of his conscience. Like a burning flame at the edge of his mind.

"Zabini," he nodded as his fellow double agent against Voldemort walked passed him.

"Malfoy," Blaise nodded back.

Draco continued to sit there, waiting for the room to clear completely so that he could talk to Dumbledore in private.

He watched her as she got up out of her seat and headed over to their former Headmaster. They exchanged a few words, she seemed to get in to a slight huff, and then she was headed toward the door. He couldn't help but spare her a nod, which she tightly returned, and then she was gone.

He looked almost longingly after her, her scent trailing on the air.

The room was now empty except for Draco and the old man. Draco got up out of his chair and walked over to the other.

"Headmaster," he said by way of greeting.

"Ah, Mister Malfoy. I suppose you've come to talk to me about a certain woman," he said with a twinkle in his glassy eye, indicating the door she had just left through.

Draco looked at him, slightly taken aback but not a bit surprised. "So you know, then."

Dumbledore nodded. "Especially after the looks you have been giving her all night."

"Well, then, you will also know that, for physical reasons beyond my control, I need her near me. I hate it, but it's true."

Dumbledore nodded again. "That is why Kingsley will be assigning her and Blaise to the dungeons. Their rooms, consequently or not, will also be right next to yours. If you don't mind me asking, when are you planning on telling her? You do realize, that because of who you are, this is putting her in danger. If your father, not to mention Voldemort, find out about your veela inheritance, well…"

"I'm taking it one day at a time. I can't figure out if it would be safer for her to know or not." Draco sighed, pushing the long blonde ponytail back over his shoulder in a most unfeminine way. "You must realize by now that this is hard for me. Of all the women in the world, it had to be her. I mean, how fitting. And I still don't like her. I might be physically attracted to her, but I don't like her."

Dumbledore nodded a third time. "Well, changing the subject for a minute: what do we know about Death Eater activities?"

"We don't know anything," Draco said in a frustrated manner, unconsciously rubbing his forearm where the dark mark, against his will, was branded. "Neither I nor Blaise have been told anything, which probably means that it's going to be something big. But we think you're right in assuming it has something to do with Hogwarts. I like the idea of extra security, even if it is putting _her_ in more danger."

The old Headmaster looked down at his shoes for a minute in contemplation, then back up. "Well, Draco my boy, it would be wise of you to get some sleep. After all, tomorrow the Hogwarts Express leaves for the school!"

Draco gave Dumbledore a tight smile before turning to leave, long hair swishing behind him. Before he made it out of the door though, the wiser man stopped him.

"Draco, just be careful with her. She's a very special girl, and she deserves to be treated right. Besides, I think Ginny Weasley will do you some good." He grinned, yet meant what he said.

Draco turned around and gave the Headmaster a small nod and looked at him hard before exiting. He made his way up to his gloomy room in the gross house.

He lay down on his bed and wondered what the little spitfire was doing right before drifting off to sleep.


	2. Head Injuries

Chapter Two

Head Injuries

'Figures,' Ginny Weasley thought as she pulled her black cloak tighter around herself. 'I'm one of their best aurors and the best they can come up with was a stakeout. Where's the action?'

She was still in a foul mood over the meeting Dumbledore had called earlier that night. She was fine with going to Hogwarts as a 'security guard' as such, but the old Headmaster had asked her to stay after for a minute. When she did, he informed her that she would be placed in the dungeons, since it was easily one of the most dangerous places inside the school. He thought she would be able to hold her own, especially considering her reputation, which she had worked hard to earn.

Ginny was fine with this. What she was not fine with were the people she would be forced to work with. She would have to work with Blaise Zabini AND Draco Malfoy. One or the other alone she could have handled, but put together, they were one massive headache. Even for her.

The wind whipped at the hood covering her hair that was charmed black. She was currently crouching in the shadows on top of a building somewhere near Nocturn Alley. The only light was from the moon, and all it gave was a strobe light effect thanks to the quickly passing clouds.

Another auror was a little ways down the street, posing as a beggar. She knew there were two more hidden somewhere. All four of them were waiting for a deal to go down in the street below.

Suddenly, there was movement in the shadows hugging the buildings and a withered old man in black stepped into the moonlight, accompanied by two thugs. Ginny drew herself into the shadows more watching the moon glint off of the wrinkled man's bald head as he pulled a small wooden box out of the sleeve of his robe. She held her breath as the three looked around, checking their surroundings for uninvited guests like herself.

Another cloud flitted across the moon, throwing the alley into darkness for a split second. When it passed, only the greasy old man remained below.

Ginny gave a small jump of surprise. Alarmed, she quickly searched around.

One of the minions came back into sight with Justin Finch-Fletchy, one of the other three aurors, in tow and unconscious.

She turned around, intending to climb down the stairwell she had used to get up to the roof in the first place.

She silently moved over to it. Opening the door, she found herself staring at the pointy end of the second thug's wand. She ducked, just barely missing the stunning spell he threw at her, and kicked out at him with her left foot from a crouching position.

She aimed too low, though, and instead of throwing him backwards, he fell forwards. Right on top of her.

She tried to roll away in time, but he landed on her right arm. She lashed out, but he was on top and obviously heavier than her.

The burly man scrambled to his feet. Somewhere in the process, he had lost his wand, so he opted for grabbing her head of hair and smashing her forehead against the hard roof stone. Repeatedly.

The third smash, though, Ginny was ready and threw her left arm out to pound her forehead into, instead of cold stone.

With her right hand, she grabbed a fistful of the man's chest from over her shoulder. When he brought her head up for a fourth smash, she managed to get her left foot under her so she was crouching on her right knee. With his own momentum, she rolled forward with the thug in tow and sent him skidding across the roof.

She kept rolling right to a standing position, not waiting to land a sound punch to his nose. Grabbing her wand from the waistband of her black jeans, she stunned him and secured him with ropes.

That was when she noticed she was bleeding.

Head injuries are nasty things. Ginny hated getting them. Hurting any other part of her body was okay; she could easily push through the pain. But with head injuries, even the strongest most macho manly-man out there could fall over in a dead faint.

Feeling slightly woozy now that the adrenaline rush was gone, Ginny once again made her way towards the stairwell. Opening the door, she once again found herself at the mercy of someone else's wand. Focusing on the person behind the wand, which was harder than it should have been, she was relieved to see the friendly face of one of the other aurors.

"Oh, Colin. There you are. How's it going?"

"Ginny, you're bleeding!" Colin Creevy stated worriedly.

"Huh? Yeah. You see that big guy over there?" She motioned to the thug she had just dealt with. "Yeah, he was trying to make a sun roof in this building here, but all he could find to smash the stone with was my forehead."

She let a drunken giggle escape.

Colin tucked an arm around her waist as she swooned again. "Ah, Gin. Always making jokes. See if I were you, I'd have already passed out, and I definitely would not have been able to finish this guy off."

"Well, I take it from your ease that things below are okay?" she turned as serious as she could in the given situation.

"Yeah. While you were grappling up here, Abbot went after Finch-Fletchy and I after the old geezer. We got the artifact and the seller, but because of the disturbance, no buyer made their presence known." He said, helping her down the stairs.

"Damn," Ginny said, wiping at the blood oozing out of her forehead.

By the time they made it down to the street, an array of officials were already there, taking in evidence, carting off the crooks, and checking the aurors. Justin was already revived, talking quietly with Hannah. A healer bustled over to Ginny, taking in the large bruise forming on the side of her head, not to mention her left arm.

"There's nothing I can give you for the bruising, but I can give you a potion to make sure you don't fall into a coma from a concussion," the healer said kindly.

"Thank you," Ginny smiled as the young lady went looking for the potion. Colin heaved Ginny over to the other two aurors. "Alright, guys?"

"Yeah," Justin said, looking up at her. "Looks like you had more fun than the rest of us put together."

"Something like that," she grumbled as her head gave a nasty throb.

The healer appeared next to her again. "Here, take this before you go to sleep tonight. That should be all you need." She put a small bottle of watery greenish liquid in the palm of Ginny's hand.

"Thank you," Ginny said again as the healer wiped her sliced forehead with a rag. She hissed as the cool something touched her.

"Disinfectant," shrugged the healer before going off on her way.

Colin sighed. "C'mon, Ginny. Let's head back. Kingsley! We're gone!" He motioned to himself and Ginny, not noticing her wince at the loud voice. Her head was really starting to hurt.

Kingsley nodded his approval. With that, they were on their way back to Grimmauld Place. Joy.

Upon returning 'home,' Ginny excused herself from Colin's presence with the excuse of a need for water. He gave her a stern look and reminded her to take her medicine before heading up the stairs to his own room.

Just recently Harry Potter had turned the old house into a sort of boarding home for Order members without anywhere else to stay. Ginny had begun staying there to save money, and had just been too busy to look for anywhere else.

No one had to worry about mail because of the discovery of the P.O. Box system muggles had been using for years. ("Ingenious!" Ginny's father had exclaimed.)

Ginny walked woozily into the shadowy kitchen. The only light was from a small fire bouncing in the hearth. The firelight danced off her rapidly reddening hair where the black was starting to wear off. She shuffled over to the sink and got a glass out of a counter, wincing at the clacking sound it made when it hit the wooden counter-top. She quickly filled it with water and downed the entire contents, filling it up a second time.

"Isn't it a little late for 'happy hour'?" asked a cynical voice behind Ginny.

She whirled around, splashing water all over her black cloak. "Gods, Malfoy! I musta jumped six feet in the air! D'jou do that for?"

In the near-dark she could just make out his piercing silver gaze that seemed to be currently calculating her. "Or are you swooning about like a drunkard for another reason?"

He was greatly annoyed that she had awakened him this late at night. One minute he was soundly asleep and the next all his veela senses were going crazy. It felt like every nerve in his body was on fire. He knew that she was in trouble and had half a mind to bolt out after her and tear apart whoever was doing her harm. It was a good thing that he realized he didn't actually know where she was. He instead placated himself by confining himself to the kitchen to wait for her return.

He was pissed. First, at her for getting into trouble, and then at himself for feeling that way.

He had watched as she had come waddling in, again annoyed at feeling slightly concerned, and had only decided to make his presence known after seeing that she was in pain, but not dead. He eyed the now-healed cuts on her bruised forehead, a deep anger boiling up from somewhere.

"For your information, _Malfoy_, I ran into a little trouble at work." Shrugging off her cloak, she threw it over the back of a chair. She was left standing in the black jeans and t-shirt she had barely had time to change in to before heading off to work. Or the stakeout. Or whatever.

Taking an elastic band from her wrist, she piled up her short curls and secured them atop her head.

Then she made a big show of taking the little vile and downing the contents. And promptly gagged.

Still not moving from his seat in the shadows, Draco murmured, "And here I heard the big bad auror could look after herself."

Ginny took a rag from a draw and ran it under the cool water. Rinsing it out, she began running it over her burning face. 'I've got to get some sleep. I think I'm going to pass out.'

"I _can_ look after myself. I'm not the one looking at a sentence in Azkaban, not to mention a broken nose, now am I?"

"No, but you are wavering around more than a seasick child on their first boat ride." Draco rolled his eyes. He slid back from the wooden table and stood in one fluid motion, eyeing the siren in front of him.

She had no idea that she was making him crazy. Her scent, so close, yet unable to be held. And the way she was running that cloth over her skin. He almost groaned. He wanted to take the rag away and run his own skin across her flushed face. He watched as she wiped it back and forth, leaving a trail of water while collecting blood, sweat, and grime.

Ginny huffed and turned around to run the now gross rag under the faucet again. She once again placed it on her head before turning around to resume the sparring. However, she turned a _little_ too quickly and blacked out for a mere few seconds. When she again knew which way was up, she was flustered to find her nose protruding painfully into Malfoy's chest.

Waving her arms about so that he was forced to move back, she proclaimed, "Woah! You want a head injury too? Personal space!"

She quickly walked around him and picked up her cloak. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm going to bed before I pass out standing up right here in the middle of the room. G'night."

And she was off to bed.

Draco looked after her, his eyes hungry. When she had all but thrown herself into his arms, everywhere she touched seemed to be on fire. Her touch soaked right through his skin and into his veins, making them burn with desire.

Everything about her made him want to scream. Every time he came close to her, it was like standing too close to an open oven door. Everything about her screamed heat and passion and a burning fire deep within. The whole package was only intensified by the veela side of Draco.

There's only one word for a person like that.

What a little _spitfire_. Even if he couldn't stand her, he was thoroughly going to enjoy annoying the hell out of her this upcoming year.

It would be just like old times.

In a dark, moldy room long hidden from the sun, Voldemort sat starring one of his followers down.

"Did you get it?" he hissed.

The man abasing himself before him only whimpered.

"Fool!"

There was a green flash, and then, nothing.


	3. Reminiscences

Chapter Three

Reminiscences

This had to be a side effect of the green goop she had taken. It had to be. There would be no other reason to be dreaming about Draco Malfoy in this kind of situation. Though, how Ginny knew she was dreaming was a mystery to her. Maybe it was the slightly misty sensation at the edge of her vision.

Ginny was in what appeared to be a bedroom. The stone walls were completely bare except for the odd low-lit white candle hanging in a sterling silver sconce here and there. There were no windows, not even a door.

She was standing at the foot of a ridiculously huge bed. The bed had black silk sheets and a black silk canopy, hangings tied to the four thick, dark cherry wood posts. But it wasn't the bed that had all of her attention. It was the figure on it.

Draco sat propped up against the intricately carved headboard, surrounded by a multitude of silk clad pillows. His platinum hair that fell to his mid-back hung loose, a couple of the longish bangs falling into his right eye, a handful spilling over his right shoulder. His right knee was bent, with his right elbow resting on it while his left leg was stretched out. He was only clad in a pair of black silk pants that matched the sheets perfectly.

Ginny looked at him, just sitting there. She studied how pale his skin looked in so much darkness, like alabaster. She studied the blonde length of his long hair, the way it looked downy soft in the candlelight. She studied his lean form that hinted at hidden muscle, buried strength. She studied his unsmiling face, pointed and proud like so many aristocrats are. She looked into his eyes expecting to find hate, but did not. What she did find, the intensity, scared her.

What was emitting from his unblinking eyes was so powerful, so raw, that Ginny felt her breath catch when she first met the harsh gaze. The most prominent was the desire, no, the need that he was looking at her with.

She shivered despite herself.

Draco held his left hand out to her. "Come." A simple command, so low and soft that it was more like a growl than a word. Ginny wasn't even entirely sure that he had said it.

She stood there looking at him and couldn't quite remember why she would ever _not_ come to him. Besides, it was only a dream.

She crawled over the edge of the bed, the white silk pants and tank she wore slipping like cool water over her skin. She grabbed fistfuls of the black cloth as she languidly made her way across the great expanse of the bed.

As she reached him, she placed her right hand in his left. He intertwined their fingers, using that to pull her closer.

She crawled in between his legs, and suddenly found the urge to rub her cheek on his right knee as she passed it. He looked down at her with that same blue fire intensity burning behind his eyes, only multiplied by the closeness.

She came almost nose-to-nose with him, still holding his hand, continuing to stare him straight in the eye. She felt overheated at the proximity of him, and could feel the strength in his hand, how easy it would be for him to overpower her. Yet, she couldn't pull away.

She heard her own heartbeat resounding in her ears, felt her breath coming almost in gasps, as he raised his right hand from his knee and raked it through her fiery locks, none too gently. It came to reside at the nape of her neck, fisting in the thick hair.

With one hard, little jerk she suddenly found her lips crashing into his, felt his tongue sparring with her own, felt the heat rushing from him over her in great waves making her tremble. She had never felt anything like this before. It was like he was trying to suck her into him, devour her through the mouth. It left her drained, shaky, sweaty, scared, and wanting more.

She felt as if her hair was standing on end, felt like her nerves were going wild. She stared into his eyes millimeters away, completely aware of every place their bodies were touching, cloth or no cloth.

She drew in a shaky breath, slowly blinking for the first time in what seemed to be forever.

Ginny opened her eyes to the stone ceiling of her room. She slowly sat up feeling clammy, cold and strangely alone.

For what reason, she couldn't remember.

Ooh, headache.

Draco woke with a start, not too far from where Ginny was simultaneously waking. He promptly smirked.

_Damn, if she hadn't have blinked, we could still be doing…other things._

Ah, well. There were always other nights. He hadn't actually meant to invade her dreams a second time. But she hadn't remembered the first time, so she probably wouldn't this time.

He was really starting to like this particular side effect.

Ginny stepped onto Platform 9 ¾ feeling as if she were a schoolgirl again. And tired. Really tired.

Many of the faces were new, being the actual students. But looking around, she saw many of the people she had gone to school with as well, on Order business of course.

She sighed and proceeded to float her bags and cases to the train, then began looking for a compartment to sit in on the car especially added for the extra people.

This car really was a blast from the past. There were no current students on it. From the moment she stepped foot on it, it was like going back through time. She walked down the aisle, peeking in windows and waving to the people she knew. A couple of former Hufflepuffs here, a compartment full of former Ravenclaws there.

Almost halfway down, she passed a compartment with only two people in it, the only two former Slytherins. Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini. A chill ran through her as Malfoy looked over and their eyes locked for a frozen moment.

Then she was walking past, looking at blank wall. She tried to shake off the weird feeling. It wasn't the first.

A couple more compartments down, she saw two of her fellow former Gryffindors, Colin Creevy and Neville Longbottom, sitting together. They saw her and motioned her inside.

"What was that?" Blaise Zabini asked his companion, only the glint in his eye showing he was amused.

"What?" Draco Malfoy replied.

"That…_look_."

Draco just frowned. He turned back to the opened potions book before him, but promptly shut it as Blaise opened his mouth again.

"Scary, isn't it."

A blank look. "What."

"Going back to the same school on the same train with the same people from years ago."

"Sure." Draco opened the book again.

"Hey. Why don't we fall into one of our original routines and bug the hell out of everybody else." Blaise suddenly proclaimed. Not waiting for an answer, he rose to his feet and opened the compartment door.

Draco sighed, throwing the old book next to him and rising also.

Draco wasn't paying attention to much as Blaise led him down the hallway, not even realizing they were passing several compartments up. In fact, when he stopped, Draco almost ran right into Blaise.

He looked up, surprised to see they were standing right in front of his spitfire's compartment. He didn't even have the time to hiss '_bastard_' at Blaise before he was sliding the door open and swishing in.

Ginny and her two companions were not expecting the visit. But, as usual, the Slytherins didn't care. They came prancing in as if they owned the place (not saying that they didn't have enough money to own).

But still.

"Can we help you?" Ginny asked, feeling suddenly nervous as Draco turned icy eyes on her.

What was it about his eyes? And what kind of cologne did he wear?

Blaise Zabini smirked, taking in the look between the two. "Ginny, darling, haven't seen you in _soooo_ long. Tell me, how _has_ it been going?"

"I don't have the patience to put up with you right now. Get out, before I make you." She said shortly, feeling slightly woozy from the suffocating and tantalizing smell.

"You really think you could?" Draco asked, raising one pristine eyebrow.

"You really think I couldn't?" her voice dropped to a low growl. "I am exhausted and hungry, so right now would not be an opportune time to piss me off!"

Draco narrowed his eyes. "Didn't sleep well?"

"I feel like I didn't sleep at all. Like I was up all night _doing_ something. Why?" Once again with the eyes.

He just shook his head.

"Are you gone yet?" Collin asked after a brief awkward pause, a look up supreme dislike etched on his face.

"Yeah, yeah," Blaise murmured before swishing back out of the compartment. "See you around, Weasley."

"Well, that was…strange," Neville spoke for the first time in a while. He was one of the Order members who volunteered to return to Hogwarts, not get assigned.

"Yeah," Ginny mumbled, watching platinum hair swing after a man who seemed to be catching her eye quite a lot lately.

Giving her head a little shake, she continued, "Well, if you guys don't mind, I'm going to try to catch up on some sleep. Wake me when the food trolley comes?"

And with that, she sank down into a pile on the seats directly across from the two guys.

"So, when are you going to tell her?" Blaise Zabini suavely introduced the next topic of conversation after the uninformative meeting.

"What?" Draco just looked at him blankly.

"Oh, come on. I already knew you were part veela, and from the way you two were acting, Weasley is obviously your mate. So, how're you going to break the news?"

Draco sighed, leaning his head back in an uncharacteristic way. "I don't know, Blaise. I just don't know."


	4. Sweet Madness

Chapter Four

Sweet Madness

"Parkinson, do you know what was in the box I ordered that fool Nott to get?" a cold voice hissed amidst a scantily lit chamber. The man kneeling in front of him gave a slight shake of his head.

"The box contained information that I desperately needed.This item which I requested is now in the Order's care, and the man whom it came from in the ministry's care. It angers me to know it slipped through my fingers," red slits glared at the memory.

"However, there is one last person left who could tell me what I need to know," the shadowed figure continued, watching the minion in front of him. "Once we have it, we can move on to the next phase of my plan, which involves Hogwarts."

The black-hooded man before him gave a low nod of his head.

"Find that person and get the information."

* * *

The sensuous smells of the welcoming feast greeted a groggy, though slightly less tired, Ginny. The Great Hall, just like the train, had added a table for all of the extra security. She randomly took a seat, Neville sitting beside her and Colin beside him.

Moments later, she sensed movement on her other side and turned to see Malfoy, unfortunately, seating himself next to her, Zabini on his other side.

Just peachy.

Determined to ignore him, she smiled, waved, and nodded at anyone she could find that she knew and took inventory of all the odd stares the table was getting. Already, rumors were flying around about the extra people. She managed to have a few words with Luna Lovegood as she passed to take the seat next to Colin.

As everyone settled down, Professor McGonagall stood to bring the Sorting Hat to the front of the room. It sang yet another version of its song, the first years were sorted, and Dumbledore stood to give his speech. The usual announcements and warnings were given, before he addressed what the student body had been whispering about.

"As you all have realized, there are a few," he thought for a moment, "well, actually, many new additions to the school staff. They are here for your security. They have the power to deduct points and give detentions. The only difference between them and the regular staff is that you will not be taught by them. I expect that you will all respect and listen to them, despite the fact that you may want to treat them like your old school friends.

"Also, Professor Snape has been given the Defense Against the Dark Arts position. His replacement for both Potions and Head of Slytherin House is Draco Malfoy. With that said, let us feast!"

* * *

The entire meal Draco could feel her, sitting beside him. He basked in Ginny's presence, not yet bothering to speak to her. There were very few times that she tolerated his presence, and he didn't want to take the chance that she might move if he agitated her. He took deep breaths; sitting so close to her was almost intoxicating.

Through his hazy mind, a voice slowly began filtering through. "Huh?"

"Ah, have you returned from la-la land?" Blaise's sarcastic comment made Draco rein himself back in.

Ignoring the remark, he said, "Sorry, what were we talking about?"

"Zabini and I were just engaging in some witty banter. I don't suppose you have anything to add?" Draco turned at the sarcastic comment to see Ginny looking at him expectantly. He had the feeling that she purposely didn't tell him what they were chatting about, just to put him in the hot seat.

It didn't bother him, though. "Actually, I don't have anything to add. Carry on," he dismissed her, turning back to his dinner.

He could tell that she didn't like being brushed off from the way her eyes momentarily flashed.

Blaise smirked on his other side. "So, Draco, how's it going with you and Parkinson?"

Draco shot him a glare, wondering what he was playing at, until he realized that the redhead sitting next to him had dropped her fork and it clattered to the ground. He glared at Blaise harder. He had done that on purpose!

Ginny wondered why she had such a strong reaction to that comment as she picked up the new fork that magically appeared in the old fork's place. From the awkward silence that ensued, she new all three of them had noticed her butterfinger moment.

Deciding she was tired of the tension, she said, "Malfoy, if you're a teacher, how come you're not sitting at the staff table?"

He scoffed. "I thought you were supposed to be observant, Weasley. Look around. I'm not the only teacher at this table."

Indeed he wasn't. Ginny could have pinched herself for getting so rapped up in Malfoy to not notice something so obvious.

"Besides," Draco continued with a raised eyebrow, "It's not every day that I get to torment my favorite Weasel."

"Favorite Weasel? Since when have I been your favorite Weasel? And why do you have that very disturbing gleeful look on your face?"

"Because I just realized that I can torment you for a whole school year, again."

Ginny groaned as she set her fork down and put her head in her hands.

"What's the matter, Weasley? Getting to see me every day getting you all hot and bothered? Or is it the wandering dark corridors at night?" Draco didn't know what had gotten into him. He was flirting with her. He suddenly came to his senses and hoped Ginny took it as taunting, not flirting.

Alas, no such luck.

She looked up from her hands as dessert appeared with an incredulous look on her face. "Okay, now you're freaking me out. Are you…_teasing_ me?"

He couldn't help himself. "You never answered my question."

Her face turned red as said question registered. She was getting defensive. "There is nothing about you that could get me all hot and bothered."

Draco smirked wickedly. "Are you sure?" he whispered in a low voice.

Ginny was just about to demand what he meant when she felt something squeeze her knee.

_He put his hand on my leg! Something's not right._

Ginny jumped out of her seat so fast that if she had been sitting in a chair instead of on a bench, the chair would have gone flying. As it was, her plate full of dessert did go flying, right onto Draco's robes. The plate slid down his front, leaving a cream trail, before landing with a crash onto the floor. Most of the hall turned to look at what had happened. Since Ginny was standing up, most attention was locked on her. Until Draco stood up, eyes glinting.

Draco had to admit, he hadn't seen that coming. But now his pristine robes were covered in sweets, and Ginny was looking far too clean. As he stood up, he noticed her dear-in-headlights look. She shivered at his look, and the hand to knee thing was forgotten.

As Draco turned back to the table, she wondered. What was he going to do? It became evident when he turned back to her holding a chocolate pie in his hand.

Her eyes widened. "You wouldn't."

He only smirked wider. Behind him, the rest of the hall, student, security, and staff included, watched with bated breath. Off to the side, it was all Blaise could do not to laugh out loud.

"Oh, wouldn't I, though?" He took two steps toward her, but all she could manage was a half step back, before she froze. She kind of did want to see if he would do it.

"It was an accident!"

"I don't really care." The pie came down on top of her head, spilling chocolate all over her shoulders and mixing with her red locks. He mouth opened in surprise. The pan slid down the back of her head before landing with a plop on the floor.

"Fine then. If that's the way you are going to be," she went back to the table and picked up a large bowl full of thinned honey glaze that is supposed to be drizzled over whatever dessert, and a small bowl full of powdered sugar. She marched right up to Draco and dumped the runny honey on _his_ head, before splashing the powdered sugar in his face.

He had closed his eyes, but he could still feel the powdered sugar coat his face, and the honey was soaking into his hair and running down his face over the powdered sugar. He licked his lips then opened his eyes, looking through coated eyelashes at the spitfire before him.

And then the tension broke.

"Food fight!" Some anonymous kid screamed, and that was all it took for every kind of dessert imaginable to go flying this way and that across the hall. Even Dumbledore was participating, as shown by the apple pie he launched at McGonagall, who looked very affronted at this. Hagrid was making quite an attack from behind his huge chair, and Professor Snape seemed to have put a spell on himself that sent anything flying at him back at the attacker.

Someone had turned their stretch of the security table over, and Neville had himself barricaded behind it while Colin, next to him, was right in the (literal) throws of it all.

"Brilliant, Ginny!" he screamed before getting caught back up in the action.

The Gryffindors took their lead and their entire table was on it's side, launching a formidable attack on the entire rest of the population.

Ginny was suddenly hit with a guilt attack, until she really looked at the hall. Everyone was laughing and having a good time. Even the Slytherins, who were getting hounded by the Gryffindors, seemed to be having fun. This was just what they all needed to lighten the mood.

Somehow Blaise Zabini had gotten all the way to the Ravenclaw table, and was now standing on it and hammering the kids with blueberry tarts. He jumped off the table when they started throwing just the blueberry filling back.

Ginny looked back over at Draco, but his eyes had never left hers, and the look he sent her sent shivers up her spine.

* * *

(A/N) Okay, meant to update a long time ago, but stuff happened. The end of school snuck up on me, my computer is still not cooperating, and a girl that I went to school with died in a car accident. So, I think I might be over my temporary writer's block finally. Jeez, I'm so flustered, I don't know if this note made any sense. Review!

Peanut Butter


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